The Puzzle of Life

Life can be quite the puzzle sometimes. In one moment, our desires can be fulfilled in miraculous ways. In another moment, we meet nothing but barriers. And in another, what we had built seems to be falling apart around us.

While the field of action or karma is unfathomably complex, it is possible to understand the principles at work. Essentially, there are 2 processes: progress and purification. These operate on the level of the whole, not the individual. Thus they arise at the best time and circumstances for the greater good rather than for you personally. This is why we should avoid taking events personally.

The steps of progress are circumstances and experiences that move us forward along the path of evolution. This may mean fulfilling desires to resolve needs. It may mean a progression of experiences to lead us to a deeper understanding or more open heart. Or it may mean circumstances that bring us learning experiences. An example of this would be what Pamela describes.

The steps of progress are structured by the laws of nature. If we’re living life “on purpose“, we’ll feel more in the flow and experience “nature’s support”. Life will, in general, feel smoother and we’ll see more coincidences and synchronicities. It helps a lot if we experience gratitude for what is arising in our lives. If we resist, habitually complain, or otherwise discount what is coming up, we’re essentially feeding what we don’t want. Nature’s laws function on the energetic level – we experience this subjectively on the level of emotions. If we’re feeding negativity, nature will respond in kind. If we’re experiencing gratitude for what we can be grateful for and acceptance for the rest, we’ll soon find we’re building a different set of laws functioning in our lives. We’ll literally get different results based on how we feel.

Purification is essentially clearing the barriers to progress. These come in a number of forms. There are our energetic or emotional barriers to progress such as resistance or attachment. There are conceptual barriers and habits of thinking we may be pushed to change. And there is the field of action itself, our karmic debts. These will tend to take whatever opportunity arises to express and resolve themselves. The key is the resolution. Not resisting nor dwelling on them but just allowing them to flow on through. Let it be. Anything else will just bring them around again.

Adyashanti speaks of how spiritual progress can create a clear space. What remains unresolved may then rush in to be seen. Thus we may find that as we make 2 steps forward, we may seem to fall back some. This isn’t really a step back. Rather it is a time of purification, a time of the past coming forward for resolution. Be patient with yourself and the process. I talk about this here in a number of ways.

In essence, this is the dance of life; steps of progress & steps of purification. Whatever stage of the growth process we look at, these 2 functions are at play. The dissolving of the old to make way for the new, the clearing of residues to allow integration, and the smoothness of those occasional points of balance.

The blend of these can show up in a number of ways. Perhaps as success in a smelly package or superficial satisfaction with a deeper restlessness. If we see life as a learning process, we’re less likely to fight the stuff we’re not so happy about. Some lessons we may not grok conceptually, but they’ll take in some more subtle way and we’ll feel a resolution and things begin to smooth again. It’s a multifaceted process taking place on all levels of us and everyone, all at once.

I’s a remarkable journey we’re on. The further down the path you get, the more astonishing it becomes and the easier it feels to be grateful. There are so many working on our behalf to make it happen, it makes the mind boggle. What a remarkable thing life is!
Davidya

4 Responses to The Puzzle of Life

I resonate with this. at the moment, whenever Í find my self thinking about something and unconsciously attach the thought on a level that is deeper then practical, there is something within me that goes; *insert anything* is not what you “think” it is.
Reality, fear, emotion, body, spirit, mind, love is not what you “think” it is.
and so the purification continues and makes space for progress =)

You’re welcome, Raz.
This one just “popped up” while I was preparing the prior post. There’s a strong influence in there of a conversation I had with a friend visiting from back east. But this stuff just kind of gels randomly, so I have to keep notepads around the house. If I let the impulse go by, it vanishes like a forgotten dream.

That’s very clear observation. There are those thoughts that come up, looking for a place to attach. There are thoughts arising from purification we may mistakenly give weight to. And there are those quiet thoughts, that still small voice, like I describe above. It doesn’t attach or make impressions. It is non-binding. And they can be rich with knowledge & understanding. The more we clear the deck, the more we can hear the muse.